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Jennifer Meanwell teaches classes on archaeological materials, particularly ceramics. Her research focuses on a wide variety of ancient ceramic materials used in Mesoamerica, including pottery, pigments, plasters, and metallurgical ceramics like tuyeres and crucibles. She applies a broad range of analytical techniques in her research, particularly ceramic petrography, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), and Raman spectroscopy. Meanwell has worked on projects investigating a variety of archaeological sites in Mexico, including the Middle Balsas region of Guerrero, Mayapan in Yucatan, and Jovel Valley in Chiapas, as well as Calixtlahuaca. She joined MIT in 1997, initially pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering's Course 3-C program focused on archaeological materials, and later received her PhD in the same field. She has taught classes as a visiting professor at Brown University and has been involved with MIT's Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology since 2008. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys cooking, scuba diving, and singing in her local community choir.